POI was not available during campus visit

[hobokennojokin]

My situation: Invited for expenses paid campus visit from which offers were going to be made afterwards. We had been asked to schedule interviews with our main POI's for about 3 or 4 separate one on one 15 min interviews. For my list of scheduled interviews, my main POI was away and thus unavailable for interview. While the interviews with other professors went well, they werent the main faculty members in which I felt my research interest were best aligned. I was notified of my wait-list status about a week after the campus visit, with the reason being they felt my research interests werent the best fit for the department

My question: Should I contact my POI and express how I feel my research interests fit? Should I emphasize how I feel my research interests fit with theirs, as well as other faculty members who I was not able to get interviews with?

Thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

Edited March 1, 2011 by skyehigh

[psygrad81]

Ouch! It sounds like their decisions are made, so I'm not sure if contacting now would make any difference. I think what probably would have been best was to try to schedule a phone or Skype interview with the POI way back when you found out he wouldn't be available during your visit. But, that ship has sailed....

Are you planning to re-apply to this school next year? If so, then I think you should contact the POI (perhaps not now, but in a couple of weeks after the dust has settled) and let him know the situation: that you wished you had gotten the chance to meet/interview with him, and briefly and concisely say why you are such a great fit. Let him know you'll be re-applying. If you aren't planning to re-apply next year, then maybe an email now wouldn't hurt. But, unless you are certain you either: a- you might have an actual chance getting them to reconsider, or b- you don't really care about future relationships with the POI/school, then I don't think it's the best idea. Bottom line, you probably should have made more of an effort to contact him directly during the interview period. (I don't know the whole situation, or how much contact you actually had, so I hope that doesn't get taken in the wrong way).

Good luck!

Edited March 1, 2011 by psygrad81

[jmacnomad]

My situation: Invited for expenses paid campus visit from which offers were going to be made afterwards. We had been asked to schedule interviews with our main POI's for about 3 or 4 separate one on one 15 min interviews. For my list of scheduled interviews, my main POI was away and thus unavailable for interview. While the interviews with other professors went well, they werent the main faculty members in which I felt my research interest were best aligned. I was notified of my wait-list status about a week after the campus visit, with the reason being they felt my research interests werent the best fit for the department

My question: Should I contact my POI and express how I feel my research interests fit? Should I emphasize how I feel my research interests fit with theirs, as well as other faculty members who I was not able to get interviews with?

Thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

Yes! I don't think it would hurt to briefly outline how your interests align and that you are still very interested in the program despite your waitlist status.

[psygrad81]

Ouch! It sounds like their decisions are made, so I'm not sure if contacting now would make any difference. I think what probably would have been best was to try to schedule a phone or Skype interview with the POI way back when you found out he wouldn't be available during your visit. But, that ship has sailed....

Are you planning to re-apply to this school next year? If so, then I think you should contact the POI (perhaps not now, but in a couple of weeks after the dust has settled) and let him know the situation: that you wished you had gotten the chance to meet/interview with him, and briefly and concisely say why you are such a great fit. Let him know you'll be re-applying. If you aren't planning to re-apply next year, then maybe an email now wouldn't hurt. But, unless you are certain you either: a- you might have an actual chance getting them to reconsider, or b- you don't really care about future relationships with the POI/school, then I don't think it's the best idea. Bottom line, you probably should have made more of an effort to contact him directly during the interview period. (I don't know the whole situation, or how much contact you actually had, so I hope that doesn't get taken in the wrong way).

Good luck!

I must have totally skipped over the part where you were waitlisted, sorry!. Yes, looking at it from that perspective, perhaps it is okay to email the POI. But I still think you should have tried for a phone interview before